[ . . . ] it must be remembered that for nearly 50 years of the period under Study, the influence of the Duke of Wellington  --although arguably the greatest military leader Britain has yet produced-- kept the British Army in a state of stagnation.  Those who had contributed so much to winning him his enviable reputation were served badly by him in the years after Waterloo and up to his death in 1852.  Determined to maintain his army in the state in which it had won its greatest triumphs, the Duke created a reactionary atmosphere powerful enough to daunt the most ardent reformer.  The Infantry who set sail for the Crimea shortly after his death were clothed, equipped and armed in much the same manner as his Peninsular infantry.  Commanded by Lord Raglan --a protιgι of Wellington who was almost as conservative as the great man himself-- the expedition to Russia was ripe for disaster.  That no major catastrophe ensued was due more to the stoic courage of the common soldier than to the leadership they received.

  Eventually Raglan's death, and public reaction to revelations of military and administrative incompetence, stirred army reforms which were long overdue.  The more glaring deficiencies were put to rights while the Crimean war was still in progress.  The infantry, some of whom had sailed for the war with smooth-bore muskets, were re-equipped with one of the finest rifles of the time, the 1853 pattern Enfield; and unprecedented efforts were made to improve the clothing, diet, shelter, sanitation, and health of the soldier.

  Amidst all this improvement the equipment of the infantry soldier was late coming under scrutiny.  Not until 1871 was the pattern of equipment approved of for issue which equaled the designs current in France and Prussia.  Until then the best that could be done for the British  Infantryman was to modify the shape or size of his knapsack.  In this respect the conservative influence of Wellington died hard; and the consequent suffering of generations of foot-soldiers --at a time when that description was a literal one-- can only be understood fully by reading the medical reports on the discharged certificates of the day.  These men were usually broken in health as much by the cruel burden of their equipment as by conditions of service, some bearing the marks of knapsack straps into old age.  "Pack palsey", a condition caused by the constriction of shoulder belts and knapsack straps, was comma.  The result for many was heart and lung disease in later life.

--Transcribed from British Infantry Equipment - 1808 to 1908, Osprey Man-at-Arms Series

As No. 4274 Albert Robinson, I enlisted at Westminster on the 9th January 1855, for the 28th Regiment, at the age of 17 years.  On the 16th of the same month I joined the Depot at Parkhurst, Isle of Wight, and was posted to No.4 Company, commanded by Captain Webb (a Waterloo veteran).  The following day I was marched to Newport to obtain my kit from the Army contractor (Isaac & Co.)  After that I drew from the Headquarters Stores a shako, coatee, boots, pair of trousers, and a great coat.  My bounty was £6 from which I had to pay for the following articles of my kit, viz: knapsack straps, mess tin and cover, one pair of boots, one pair of summer trousers, shell jacket, forage cap and number, haversack, 3 white cotton shirts, 2 towels, 2 pairs of socks, one pair of braces, stock and clasp, and holdall complete.  When I mention that the small pipeclay sponge in those days cost 1/- and a tin of blacking 4d. it will be realized that the bounty did not go far.  Every article of kit had to be marked at a cost to the owner of 1/2d. per article. 

Add to this the fact that the older hands made a habit of relieving the recruits of many small articles, and it will be easily understood that frequently at the end of the month, when I paraded to sign my accounts, I found I was in debt. Consequently, when this happened, I was placed on 1d. per diem pay, out of which I had to provide my cleaning materials. Boot repairing was a heavy item, owing to the rough state of the Barrack Square, whilst the Barrack damages (after the departure of a draft) were very high.  In addition we had to pay 2d. per month for sheet washing, and 1d. for haircutting.

--Letter from Albert Robinson